The incomparable Francesco Molinari never ceases to amaze, grinding results week after week. Last Sunday he took another second place, thus completing two wins and two seconds in the span of 5 starts, a true record. This week the Turin native is in Scotland, with the best in the world, for a challenge that everyone would like to win and which is certainly within his reach: the Open Championship, the third major of the year, now in its 147th edition, the only to have spanned three centuries.
It is the oldest tournament, the most prestigious, the only one played in Europe and generally on the links, the terrible British courses, whipped by the winds, beaten by the rains or parched by drought. The place of the event is the very difficult Carnoustie Golf Links, where many pages of history and legend have been written, where truly extreme dramas and successes have been seen.
The field is exceptional and includes the top 50 players in the world ranking, including Francesco, who is currently 15th. Defends the title Jordan Spieth, unconvincing in recent performances. However, there is no shortage of tough bones and the most formidable is the number one in the world, Dustin Johnson. Among the favorites there are also Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, who has scored three times this season, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, if he is not affected by the injury suffered last week.
Patrick Reed and Brooks Koepka, winners of the first two majors (in that order Masters and US Open), Jason Day and Jon Rahm, winner in California and his native Spain, cannot be underestimated either. An honorable mention goes to Tiger Woods, who in other times would have been the undisputed favourite. Tiger, after his physical problems, is great again, but he is certainly not unbeatable. He hasn't won a tournament yet and his weak point is the greens, those that were once his best allies. But "Never say never" when it comes to Tiger, who is now number 71 in the world and certainly wants to return to the throne that has been his for so many years.
However, if we want to identify the player in the best shape, the one who has all the shots in the barrel right now, including the putter, we realize that the portrait of Molinari emerges. Perhaps we are not realizing it in Italy, but this boy is now an international star.
In the last eight rounds Chicco recorded a total of -40 under par, a result worthy of the best Tiger. And his mood is skyrocketing: “the period from Wentworth's success to today – he says – is certainly one of the brightest of my career. Everything seems to be going in the right direction, also thanks to the improvements in putting due to a new training methodology studied with my technical staff".
So why not dream of an Italian success? The important thing is that Molinari got over the time difference quickly, given that he had to play in the States last week due to PGA Tour regulations and only arrived in Scotland on Monday. American commentators place him in eighth place in a ranking of potential winners, ahead of players of the caliber of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Sergio Garcia.
In the list of candidates for the title we also find Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Noren, Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey, Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Tomorrow we start playing at 6,35 local time (7,35 Italian time). They are trios with departures all from hole 1 at a distance of 11 minutes from each other, the last at 16,16. Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Kiradech Aphibarnrat will start at 9,58 local time; at 13,04 pm Dustin Johnson, Alex Noren, Charley Hoffman; at 13,26 pm Justin Thomas, Francesco Molinari, Branden Grace; at 15,21 Tiger Woods, Hideki Matsuyama, Russell Knox.
156 athletes representing 28 nations participate in the race. The prize pool is 10,250 million dollars.
Sky guarantees total coverage, thanks to the new channel entirely dedicated to golf. The marathon this week, however, is also on Sky Sport Uno, from 7.30 to 21,30.
